


unravel

by footprintpath



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Eventual Smut, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Canon, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-12
Updated: 2018-06-09
Packaged: 2019-05-05 13:37:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14619716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/footprintpath/pseuds/footprintpath
Summary: 3 years after the Phantom Thieves destroyed the metaverse, Akira gets a mysterious request from Sae to meet up, where she delivers a bombshell unto him: Goro Akechi is alive. Akira takes this newfound opportunity to help Akechi when he couldn't before, in any way that he can.





	1. hidden place

A slow, languid summer breeze caressed the hollow streets of Yongen-Jaya. It was an average afternoon in the backwater alleyways of Tokyo, the warm summer air feeling just the right amount of stuffy, to the point that it was nostalgic and inviting. However, in a certain corner of the twisting urban labyrinth, the peaceful echo of wind chimes was harshly interrupted by cacophanus uproar.

“Hey! That was mine, you ass!” Ryuji flinched as Ann swiped fervently at him from across the Leblanc table. Being seated at the counter rather than in the booth with everyone else had proven to be a blessing in disguise as Ann made futile attempts to grab a chocolate cupcake from him.

“What do you mean it’s _yours_ ? The food here is for _everyone_!” Ryuji sunk his teeth into the confection with little remorse, much to Ann’s chagrin.

“Um, it was next to _my_ drink, on _my_ plate, at _my_ welcome back party!”

“Well, now it’s in _my_ stomach!”, Ryuji uncouthly wiped what crumbs were left onto his pants, flashing a smug grin at Ann, who deflated at the sight.

“Ann, don’t worry, we still have some left!” Haru exclaimed, replacing the one Ryuji had so rudely stolen from her.

“You’ve already had three cupcakes, is it really so important that you have one more?” Yusuke chimed inquisitively. Futaba cast him an equally inquisitive look.

“Inari, are you stupid? At least have a little bit of delicacy.”

It wasn’t uncommon for the group to have get togethers such as this one under the guise of something like a “welcome back party”. Ann had been gone overseas on a modeling trip for little more than a week at best, however, when the opportunity to abandon responsibilities in favor of meeting up with each other presented itself, the former Phantom Thieves of Hearts would do little to combat the idea; and the opportunity presented itself quite often.

“Akira, you’re being awfully quiet.” Ann glared at him accusingly.

“Woah woah woah, don’t go dragging me into this.” Akira chuckled. These moments spent with his friends weren’t exactly rare, but that didn’t mean he didn’t treasure every moment. The minutes turned to hours, and eventually, with the departure of Yusuke and Futaba with Morgana in tow, the group had dwindled down to merely Haru, Makoto, and Akira. Haru insisted that they stay and help clean things up, because ‘it’s far too big a mess for one person!’ With the combined efforts of the trio, they managed to clean up their mess in less than 20 minutes - a new record.

“Oh! I nearly forgot.” Makoto, halfway out Leblanc’s door, paused to leaf around in her purse before brandishing a thick and seemingly heavy envelope at Akira, “Sae asked me to give this to you. Don’t bother asking me what’s in it, I asked her, but she wouldn’t budge.”

“You know, this is the kind of thing that usually happens before a bomb ends up going off in someone’s home.” Akira jests. Makoto’s only response is a dour look of disapproval. Once Haru and Makoto had safely departed, the formerly bustling cafe seemed lifeless, and Akira’s only remaining company was the harsh crinkling of the envelope as he ripped it open; the contents of which spilled over the counter with a dull thud. Akira picked up what appeared to be a disposable mobile phone, on the back of which a small square of paper had been taped. Removing and unfolding the note revealed a phone number, and instructions to call only between the hours of 6 p.m. to 12 a.m.

“What the hell?” Akira glanced at the analog clock hanging on the wall opposite him. 11 p.m., so it should be okay to call, but why? Before he could stop to think any further about it, he fed the numbers from the note into the phone, overcome with curiosity. A fuzzy, dull ringing repeated 3 or 4 times before it was interrupted by the click of the receiver on the other end.

“Well, I must admit, you called much sooner than I expected you to. I only gave Makoto that envelope two days ago in anticipation of your party today, so I’m surprised to be hearing from you so soon.”

“Sae-san?” Akira asked, dumbfounded. It was obviously Sae’s voice, but he was still confused, and as a result, less than articulate.

“Good evening, Akira-kun. I’m sorry about all the theatrics. Call me paranoid, but I wanted to be certain that this call couldn’t be traced by anyone.”

“Um, it’s fine, but, is something happening? This seems kind of, well…” _Scary, troublesome, worrying,_ “...excessive.”

“Excessive indeed. Don’t worry, nothing bad has happened - or will be happening, for that matter. I’m sorry to keep you in suspense, but are you free tomorrow? I’d like to discuss something with you. Perhaps over a cup of coffee?”

“You went through all the trouble of talking to me over a secure line just to ask me to coffee?”

Sae scoffed amusedly over the line. “Of course, it’s sensitive information. If I had just wanted to chat I could’ve simply asked my sister to invite you.” Akira raised an eyebrow. Sensitive information? Sae had never indulged in her work with him before. The fact that she was reaching out to him in an attempt to do so now was… strange, to say the least. However, knowing Sae, it was bound to be something important.

“I’m free tomorrow. What time did you have in mind?”

“Excellent. I’ll be waiting for you at a small cafe in Shibuya at around 2 p.m. Do you have a pen ready?”

Akira scrambled for a pen and paper before scrawling down the address for the place they were to be meeting up. After a short few set of instructions from Sae - to come alone, dress inconspicuously, and dispose of the phone after hanging up - their brief and somewhat questionable exchange ended. Akira wasn’t too sure what to make of the conversation. Sae had never presented him with a situation like this before. Even during the endeavor they faced during their days as the Phantom Thieves, she had been fairly direct, so the circumstances put him at a bit of a loss. Nevertheless, he tossed the phone into the dumpster behind Leblanc as instructed, and mentally coordinated an inconspicuous outfit for the next day on the drive back to his apartment.

 

*********

 

The cafe they met up at was very out of the way, similar to Leblanc, yet busier and less rustic in it’s aesthetic. Sae was already situated in one of the booths by the time Akira arrived, and waved him over as soon as he stepped through the door.

“Thank you for meeting with me today. I understand that this whole arrangement must be quite confusing on your end.” Sae already had a cup of coffee sitting in front of her, though seemingly untouched. Akira sidled into the booth opposite her, removing his jacket in the process.

“That’s kind of an understatement.” Akira flagged down a waitress and placed his order: a single black coffee to mirror Sae’s own, “Was all the secrecy really necessary?”

“I’m afraid so. If any former affiliates of mine were to find out that I was passing on this information to you, it could very well get us both in trouble. I had to take the proper precautions. Although I’ll admit, it does seem to be a bit overkill from an outsider’s perspective.”

“So what is this sensitive information that you’re passing on to me?” The waitress sat down Akira’s cup in front of him, and he nodded at her in acknowledgement before turning his attention back onto Sae, who seemed to be mulling over her words. It was the first time since she had contacted Akira that the weight of what she was about to say seemed to affect her at all. As Akira was about to inquire further, Sae sprung back to life with words he never could have anticipated:

“Goro Akechi is alive.”

Akira blinked. He blinked again. His jaw went slack and he stared at Sae, mouth agape.

“I- Wh- I’m sorry- What?”

“Goro Akechi. He’s alive. Shortly after you changed Masayoshi Shido’s heart, he turned up injured, and he’s been in juvenile detention for the past three years.” Akira continued to stare. At Sae, at the table, at the mug of coffee in front of him, back at Sae again, “I understand that this must come as a great shock to you. I’m sorry to have kept it a secret from you for this long. He had me down as his emergency contact, so when the hospital called me and informed me of his condition… I was shocked, to say the least. He made me swear secrecy in fear that if knowledge of his survival were to reach the public, it would endanger the success of Shido’s downfall, though…” Sae paused and thrumed her fingers against the mug that held warm in her palm, “I feel as though he feared the many cohorts of Shido’s that lingered, and still linger to this day. I can’t say I blame him. I don’t know what they would want to do to him if they were to learn of his survival, but it’s nothing good, of that I’m sure. He’s one of the only people with sufficient evidence to testify against them. They’d surely want him dead.” Sae looked up from her drink to see Akira’s pallid visage staring blankly back at her, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bombard you with all of this. Are you okay?”

“I- I’m just-” Akira stuttered, his mind making futile attempts at trying to process all the information being hurled at him. Akechi is alive? He’s in juvi? He’s _alive_? “I’m sorry, it’s just- all this time, I thought- I thought he was dead. So to hear you say that he isn’t dead is- it’s just-” Akira leafed a hand through his hair, “It’s a lot to take in at once.”

Sae chuckled, “I’m sorry. I would’ve prepared you more for it had I known of any way how.”

“N-No, it’s- it’s fine.” Akira grabbed his mug with a shaky hand and barely brought it to his mouth without spilling, “Why are you telling me this though? Why now? Why me?”

“Who else should I have told?” Sae shrugged, “You being the former leader of the Phantom Thieves, it seemed like the most obvious choice.” She took a small sip of her coffee as if to punctuate the thought, giving Akira a bit more time in between to soak up the information, “As for my reason for telling you now, well… Being his lawyer, and also one of the few people from his former life who even knows that he’s still alive, I tend to pay him visits pretty regularly. And recently… he’s seemed a lot less... “ She sighed defeatedly, “I don’t know. It feels as though I’m unable to get through to him. It’s getting closer to his release date, and rather than being happy, he seems… almost upset somehow. He talks about not having a desire to reintegrate into normal society. I’m very worried about him.”

Akira’s heart broke. Akechi was alive. While Akira had been laughing and having fun, spending time with friends, making plans and enjoying life, Akechi had been rotting away in a cell dreading each day more than the last. He was alive, and he was in hell. It made Akira feel ill. He had to suppress the coffee from slithering back up his throat.

“I’m not sure what to do, Akira-kun. I’m telling you this because you’re my only hope. I’m afraid of what he’ll do to himself after he gets discharged. I can’t be there for him all the time due to work, and I don’t know, maybe if he were to see you again…” there was an edge of desperation to Sae’s voice as she spoke, as if she were pleading with him to give her an answer, “He talks about you often, I think maybe if you were to see him it might help.

Akira perked up slightly, “He talks about me?”

“He’s mentioned you on several occasions, yes.” she took another drag off of her coffee, “I think it’s possible that he misses you, even if he doesn’t realize it.”

“He misses me…” Akira could feel his eyes beginning to well up with tears he didn’t realize were there, “I… I’ve missed him too.”

“Please go see him.” Akira looked up from his coffee to see Sae’s face plastered with concern. The pleading tone of her voice mirroring the ache of reopened wounds in his heart.

“What are the visitation hours?”

 

*********

 

As Akira ascended the steps to the juvenile detention center Sae had given him the address to, he felt his heart flutter with anxiety. Going to see the boy he had thought of as dead - the boy that for three years he has grieved, cried, and prayed for; to say it felt surreal would be an understatement. It had taken Sae several days to be able to clear him for visitation, and the long hours he’d spent agonizing over how the encounter might play out did little to clear his mind. The reality of the situation didn’t truly hit him until he was sitting down at the glass partition made to separate visitors from the inmates. 

Akira felt as though his heart was going to explode. He bounced his leg restlessly, played with his hair, drummed his fingers against the cool countertop he sat at, but nothing was enough to aid his nervousness. ‘ _What if he doesn’t want to see me? Will he get mad? What should I even say? Should I let him talk first?’_ When Akira saw a prison guard escorting a tall mop of brown hair in his direction from the other side of the partition, he felt as though he might pass out.

The guard stopped Akechi and motioned toward the cubicle corresponding to where Akira sat. When he looked up through the glass and spotted him, time momentarily slammed to a halt.

Akira and Akechi stared at one another for what seemed like an eternity. Seeing each other face to face when neither had expected to see the other again in their lives left them in utter shock. In the back of his mind, Akira imagined that the expression Akechi wore likely bared resemblance to his own - one of complete disbelief. He forced back the urge to let his eyes spill over with tears as he took in the image of what stood before him. Akechi now donned glasses, presumably prescription, which were thickly black rimmed at the top, yet tapered down into a thin wire towards the bottom of the lenses. Although his hairstyle hadn’t changed, it had increased considerably in length, making him look less dapper than Akira remembered him being.

The moment was broken once the guard pushed Akechi lightly forward and said something Akira couldn’t hear through the thick glass. Seemingly against his will, Akechi sat down at the counter and tentatively reached for the correspondence phone, as if it would burn him were he to touch it. Akira mimicked his actions, grabbing the phone from his side of the partition. The silence lingered for a moment longer before Akira managed to speak.

“Um, hi.” The words fumbled from his mouth clumsily, “You, uh, you look different.”

“The same could be said for you.” Akechi’s voice, though filtered through the speaker of the phone, made Akira feel as though he could melt butter-like into the chair he sat in. It was the last bit of confirmation he needed to affirm that this was all real, that it was really happening. That was Akechi’s voice, and it was coming from someone with Akechi’s face, Akechi’s hair, Akechi’s hands - hands that Akira just now realized he was seeing without gloves for the first time, “You look different without your glasses.”

Akechi’s comment snapped him back into reality, “Oh, yeah, I guess you never really saw me without them.” Akira fidgeted, “I never actually needed them, they were just for show.”

“Ah.” Akechi was cold in his response, eyes boring into the updated version of Akira that sat before him. His hair was ever so slightly shorter, he had his ears pierced, and his nails were painted black. He looked very put-together compared to how he had appeared in high school. A stark contrast in comparison to this disheveled version of Akechi.

“I guess you’re probably wondering why I’m here, right?”

“I can assume that Sae-san told you that you could find me here. I can’t imagine why she would do so when she knows it’s in exact opposition of my wishes, but regardless, it’s irrelevant now.” Akechi glared at his former enemy, “You shouldn’t have come to see me, Kurusu.

“Akira.”

“Pardon?”

“Just call me Akira.” he flashed as sincere a smile as he could muster, trying to force his nerves to the back of his mind.

Akechi fidgeted a bit, looking somewhat flustered, “V-Very well. Akira, then. You shouldn’t have come to see me.”

“Why not?”

“There’s nothing to be gained from us seeing each other again. You seem to forget that I tried to frame your suicide. That’s part of why I’m here in the first place.”

“What if I just wanted to see you again?” Akechi flinched at Akira’s sudden response, the lack of hesitation disturbing him somewhat.

“I can’t understand why you would.”

“It’s all I’ve been able to think about after learning that you weren’t dead, Akechi.”

“Goro.”

“Huh?”

“You may as well call me by my first name as well.” Goro looked away, brows furrowed into a somewhat disapproving glare, contrasting the approval in his words.

Akira beamed, “Sure. Goro.” Any uncertainty that had plagued him prior melted away in an instant, “I had to see you. I had to make sure it was true.”

“Well, you’ve made sure, so your work here is done now, yes?”

“Nice try. I’m not going to let you slip away from me again.” Goro looked back at Akira inquisitively, the latter of whom remained unfazed, “Tell me what happened. Back on the ship in the metaverse. Futaba couldn’t sense you anymore, we all thought that you were dead.”

Goro deflated a bit, and resigned to the fact that Akira wouldn’t be swayed. Sighing, he relaxed a bit into his chair, “I’m not entirely sure what happened myself. I remember the sensation of being shot, followed by the feeling of floating. I heard a voice speaking to me about how I was a prisoner of an unjust game… or… something to that effect. It’s hard to remember exactly what she said, it felt like a dream. When I awoke, the palace was crumbling, and I had to make my escape rather quickly.”

“Lavenza…” Akira whispered.

“Sorry?”

“That voice you heard, it must have been Lavenza. She was… nevermind, it’s not important, keep going.”

“Very well…” Goro continued despite Akira’s puzzling interjection, “I managed to escape the palace, but succumbed to my injuries soon afterwards. I was admitted to the hospital, and since Sae-san was my emergency contact - well, you can fill in the rest from there. I’m sure Sae-san already told you.”

Akira stared, dumbfounded, “I can’t believe it… All this time, I - all of us - we thought you were dead.”

“Yes, well, that was the intention.”

“Why? How come you didn’t want us to know?”

“Besides the fact that it could put everyone involved in danger?” Goro snapped, “I didn’t imagine you or anyone else would want to see me again after what I did.”

Akira shook his head, “You were wrong. We all missed you, Goro. We all felt like… we had failed you. You were the only one that the Phantom Thieves were unable to save.” Akira’s voice trembled, “I would’ve done anything to get you back.”

“But-” Goro couldn’t fathom what he was hearing, “Kuru- Akira, I tried to kill you. Have you forgotten? Why would you invite someone back into your life who looked you in the eye and-”

“I forgave you for that a long time ago.” Akira’s voice no longer wavered, and he stared steadfast into Goro’s eyes, “The moment you closed the giant metal door between us - no, before then, before it even happened, I had already forgiven you. I can’t blame you for falling victim to your circumstances when you had no one to help you out of them. I just wish-” Akira paused to take a short, ragged breath, “I wish I could’ve been there to help you before it was too late.”

Goro stared in awe before he sharply exhaled the breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. Over the past three years that he had been locked up, never in his wildest dreams did he think that the person he thought to have detested him the most would show up and pour his heart out to him.

“I can’t understand you.” Goro finally mustered.

“That’s okay, I’m sure you will eventually.” Akira’s words came out as more of a suggestion than a statement, and he was immediately second-guessing himself when Goro looked away with a sneer.

“I think you should go now.” What should have been a suggestion on Goro’s part was barely short of a command. If his tone wasn’t indicative enough, the fact that he would no longer make eye contact with Akira sent the message across. The conversation was over.

Akira sighed, but his smile didn’t falter, “That’s fine. Thank you for talking to me. And Goro?” No response, the former ace detective kept his eyes averted from Akira’s, “...We really did miss you. We still do.” Akira took a deep breath, his exhale crackling over the receiver, “I’ll come back some other time, if that’s okay.”

Goro’s eyes pressed closed in a frown, “Very well. Until then, Akira.”

 

*********

 

“What are you so giddy about?” Morgana squaked chidingly at Akira, who had been in uncharacteristically high spirits since he got home.

“Hm?”

“I’ve never seen you so happy to chop onions before.”

“Oh.” Akira looked from Morgana back down to the cutting board in front of him and chuckled lightly to himself, “Okay, I’ll tell you, but you have to promise to keep it a secret, okay? I don’t think we should tell the others yet.”

Morgana got up from his resting-loaf position on the counter and perked his ears forward, “Oooh, a secret? My lips are sealed! Tell me!”

“Okay, okay!” Akira’s excitement overwhelmed him as he placed his cutlery down so as not to accidentally injure himself in his gesticulations, “I saw someone today. An old friend. You’ll never guess who.”

“An old friend… someone from high school?” Morgana fished around in his memories, looking for any possible candidates.

“You could say that, yeah. You’re never going to get it, so I’m just going to tell you.” Akira’s face beamed down at Morgana, “It was Akechi.”

“Wh-!” Morgana nearly doubled over in shock, “Akechi?! What?! But he’s-!”

“Dead? Yeah, I thought so too, but Sae-san asked me to meet up with her the other day and - well, long story short, he survived! I just visited him in juvi today!”

“That’s… That’s amazing!” Morgana’s tail pointed straight towards the sky, “What did he say? Does he look the same? Why didn’t you bring me with you?!” As fast as Akira had spilled the details to him, Morgana was already clamoring for more, assaulting him with question after question.

“Relax, I wasn’t sure how I would be able to get you in with me! I’ve been once now, so I think I can manage it the next time I visit. As long as you’re okay with having some books on top of you in my bag.” Akira wasn’t lying, he wasn’t sure how he would’ve brought Morgana with him the first time around, but he opted to leave out the fact that he wanted to be alone the first time he went to visit Goro.

“Ugh, fine, if I have to.” Morgana reluctantly agreed, “I can’t believe it though, all this time we thought he was dead.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty much what I said, too.”

“Promise you’ll take me next time, okay?”

Akira chuckled, “Yeah yeah, I promise.”

After finishing dinner and preparing for bed, Akira found himself unable to sleep. He gazed at the ceiling of his bedroom, lost in memory of all that had transpired that day. He still couldn’t quite decipher what the look on Goro’s face had been when he promised to visit again. He thought that for a split second, he may have even looked happy. Though, Akira knew that his memory could very well be supplementing the memory in his favor. Goro's words of departure still echoed in his mind, _"Very well. Until then, Akira."_

His heart fluttered as he remembered what his name sounded like in Goro’s voice. Hearing Goro say his first name after years of thinking he’d never hear his voice again was nothing short of magical. Akira’s mind raced with all the possibilities that this newfound opportunity presented them with. There was no longer any formality to get in the way of them being able to talk to each other. No metaverse, no palaces, and no Masayoshi Shido. The only thing that stood between them now was a sheet of glass a mere two inches thick.

And hopefully, in due time, that too would no longer separate them.

 

*********

 

It was a little less than a week before Akira was able to return to visit Goro for the second time, this time with Morgana in tow. He had felt bad being unable to come again sooner, but any guilt abandoned him in favor of anticipation as he ascended the now familiar steps once again. As he approached the reception counter, he tapped twice on the bottom of his bag, a signal meant to let Morgana know he had to be still.

“Hi, um, I’m here to visit an inmate?” Akira spoke with slight trepidation to the receptionist who seemed less than thrilled to be present.

“Name?”

“My name? Akira Kurusu.”

“The inmate’s name.” The receptionist glared at Akira over the rim of her glasses.

“Oh, uh, Goro Akechi.” As she tapped away at the computer with her long acrylic nails, Akira swallowed the quickly growing lump in his throat. Hitting a minor roadblock like a rude receptionist was enough to ignite anxiety in him where his excitement once lie.

“What did you say the name was again?”

“Um, Akechi? Goro Akechi?”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought…” The receptionist turned to face Akira once more as Morgana restlessly fidgeted in the bag at his side.

“Goro Akechi isn’t here anymore. He was discharged three days ago.”

 

*********

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello!!!!! this fic has been like a year in the making. i used to daydream about it while sorting mail at work..... i've had the whole outline written out for months now. and im finally doing it!!! i hope you enjoy it!!! it'll be around 10 chapters, give or take. i have the rating on GA atm, but as soon as things start to get heavier i'll change it accordingly.
> 
> also, the fic title and each chapter title are based off of bjork songs because im a gay bitch lmao. i'll link to the song for each chapter in the notes at the bottom. here's this chapter's song: https://youtu.be/OnjWKA0JsJo


	2. bachelorette

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks sooo much everyone for being so patient with me getting this chap out. ive been really busy the past few weeks in preperation for tabling at a convention that happened this saturday, so i was finally able to buckle down and get this done. anyways, here's the song this chapter is based off of and i hope you enjoy it! https://youtu.be/Th7QmZiz6Lc

The quiet tinkling of Leblanc’s door chime rang in Goro’s ears as the cafe’s owner departed into the cool of night. Goro sat at the bar, still nursing his now lukewarm cup of coffee that he’d been served hours earlier. Normally he would’ve been kicked out as soon as Sakura-san decided to leave, but tonight, Goro had convinced him to put his faith in the fact that it would be fine to leave him there. Had he been alone, it probably wouldn’t have worked, but Sakura-san was able to entrust the shop to Kurusu, who sat in a booth at the far end of the cafe, table littered with school papers. Midterms were coming up, and he had likely nary a chance to study. Juggling school with the burden of masquerading around in group of juvenile miscreants; it couldn’t be easy. But then again, Goro’s schedule wasn’t any more accommodating.

“Would you mind too much if I sat here?” Kurusu jumped before snapping his head up towards the figure of Goro suddenly looming over him, “Ahaha! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you! I just figured you might like some company.”

_Friends close. Enemies closer._

Kurusu relaxed back into his former position, “Oh, uh, yeah. Sure.”

“Thank you.” Goro smiled sweetly and slid into the booth, careful not to spill his coffee. Kurusu retained his studious composure, poring over the notes strewn about him. Goro picked up a nearby leaflet seemingly cast aside and examined it’s contents. At least, he tried to - Kurusu’s chicken-scratch handwriting was near impossible to make sense of.

“What are you studying? Perhaps I could help?” Goro suggested.

“Right now it’s something that the teacher went over in class, but…” Kurusu furrowed his brow, “It’s... hard to make any of it out. I can’t even remember what some of these notes are supposed to be on.”

Goro paused, “...You mean to say that these notes aren’t all on the same subject?”

Kurusu chuckled mirthlessly, “Yeah, no, this is it. These are my notes.”

Goro gaped before returning his gaze to the mess on the table in front of him. There couldn’t have been more than 15 sheets of paper total, and what had previously seemed like an abundance of school work now seemed like little more than a cruel joke.

“I think I see the issue now.” Goro mused, “You aren’t one for school work, are you?”

Kurusu leaned back in the booth, abandoning any previously held determination to study, “What was your first clue?” He smiled wryly at Goro, and Goro had to suppress his stomach from doing somersaults at the sight. He averted his gaze to Kurusu’s hand, which expertly twirled the pen he held.

“I’ve always wondered how you’re able to do that so well. You must be extremely dexterous to pull it off so flawlessly.” Goro observed, actively avoided looking at Kurusu’s face.

“Oh-” Kurusu’s hand halted momentarily, “You want me to teach you?”

Goro’s eyes widened slightly before returning to his usual pleasant expression, “I would appreciate that. Please, show me how it’s done.”

_Friends close. Enemies closer._

“Okay.” Kurusu sat back up in his seat with newfound enthusiasm, “First - oh, give me your hand.” he reached for Goro’s gloved hand and gave it an unceremonious tug toward the center of the table, “Okay, first, you wanna hold it like this.” Kurusu’s nimble fingers positioned the pen in Goro’s hand with a feather-light touch. When he was done, he stopped to look up at Goro for any sign of confirmation.

“Ah, y-yes. What next?”

Kurusu turned his attention back towards the pen, “Then, you wanna move your ring finger like this, so it pushes the pen forward. While you do that push the front of the pen with your thumb so that it wraps around the back of it like this.” He guided the pen in between Goro’s fingers, weaving it back and forth delicately. Goro could feel heat rising in his face as he began to regret agreeing to Kurusu’s impromptu pen-twirling lessons.

“Then it’ll come back to the front and you catch it in the same position as the beginning. Obviously it’ll go a lot faster when you’re actually doing it, so you have to be quick.” Kurusu released Goro’s fingers from his grip after what had seemed like an eternity. “You try it now.”

Without looking up from his hand for fear of Kurusu seeing his now likely red face, Goro made a futile attempt to mimic the motions Kurusu had walked him through, effectively launching the pen into the napkin dispenser. He stared for a moment at the spot where the pen had hit, when Kurusu’s laughing suddenly brought him out of his daze.

“Hey, don’t worry, I sucked at it too at first.” Kurusu managed to get out in between cackles.

“...ould be going.”

“Huh?” Kurusu’s laughter died down as he wiped a tear from his eye, attention returning toward the boy in front of him.

Goro flashed a warm smile at Kurusu in return, “I should be going. Thank you for trying to teach me. I guess I should practice more so that I can be as good at it as you are.” Goro stood up, latching his fingers around the handle of his attaché case.

“Oh, but-” Kurusu protested.

“Hm? Something wrong?”

He backed down, seemingly perplexed at his own outburst, “Oh, uh, no. You’re right, it’s getting late. Sorry for keeping you.”

Goro smiled again, “It’s quite alright, I enjoyed our time together.” He turned towards the exit, “Until next time, Kurusu.”

_Friends close. Enemies closer._

 

*********

 

_VRR. VRR. VRR._

“Nnngh..” Goro groaned at the harsh beams of sunlight that cut through his blinds.

_VRR. VRR. VRR._

He rolled over in the makeshift bed - a mattress on the floor - to hide his eyes from their invasive shine.

_VRR. VRR. VRR._

“Shut up!” He flailed dramatically from under the thin sheet that covered him, his hand landing atop the alarm clock that annoyingly blared at him for the fifth time that day. His makeshift bedside table - the cardboard box situated on the floor next to him - nearly collapsed at the overwhelming force. Slowly Goro rose from the bed, back as stiff as the mattress he was forced to sleep on. He turned his attention toward the clock which lay on it’s side due to the uneven surface of the box, the top of which now resembled some kind of crater.

“Ugh, god…” The clock read 12:47 p.m. It wasn’t his worst, but he had hoped to wake up at somewhat of a reasonable time. Waking up during afternoon hours served only as an unwanted reminder as to how dreary his life had become. After rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and massaging his temples in an attempt to ward away the edges of an impending headache, he staggered towards the kitchenette to prepare himself the least nauseating cup of instant coffee he could muster.

“Eugh…” Despite three years of having nothing else to work with, he never could get used to the taste; nor the metallic tang it left in his mouth. With coffee in hand, he turned back toward his ever-inviting mattress and pulled a book he had been reading out of it’s place in his bag. It was one of the few things he purchased after having been discharged, along with being one of the few things he currently owned. He had no idea what his former landlord had done with the furniture from his old apartment, nor did he particularly care. It would have been nice to at least have a bedframe to his name, though.

Goro read his book without truly paying much attention to what it said. He’d found it hard to do much of anything recently. While in juvenile detention, there had been mandatory tasks to occupy his time - community service, regulated therapy sessions, some inmates even had jobs, though he’d never had one. Without the structure he’d come to rely on within the past three years, Goro felt lost. He’d never intended to be discharged early, and his ‘good behavior’ had merely been a side effect of lacking any will to disobey. He was tired of disobeying, tired of dedicating his life to rebellion, tired of fighting against the current. And with the arrest of Shido, he found little reason in doing so. Now that his father was behind bars, his life had lost what little semblance of purpose it’d ever had to begin with.

Perhaps that’s why Goro was unable to rid Akira’s visit from his mind. Part of him had hoped to see him again the next day, or the day after that, or even the day after that. Another part of him, however, knew he wouldn’t visit again; not after he saw the decrepit mess of what was once the Goro Akechi he’d known. He felt stupid for being disappointed, and even stupider for getting his hopes up in the first place. The idea that someone he wholeheartedly betrayed would waltz back into his life and give it meaning again was absurd.

Goro was on his third re-read of the paragraph he was desperately trying to focus on when a loud knock on the door broke his concentration. He nearly yelped at the shock it gave him, but the noise came out as more of an irritated grunt. He hesitated before marking his place in his book, considering who it may have been as he stood to approach the door. It could have been a number of people; a social worker here to check on him, the landlord coming by to give him some number of government documents to fill out, it could even have been Sae stopping by to pay him a visit.

However, from the way the knocking had come as three hard, quick raps in succession, his stomach churned in knowing the most likely candidate. His greatest fears were confirmed to be on the other side of the door as he peeled it from it’s frame, catching on the still-latched lock.

“Hey! Thank god, for a second I was worried I had the wrong apartment.”

Goro peered at the man who had plagued his thoughts for the past week, feeling the metallic burn of his instant coffee returning suddenly with full force.

“Why are you here, Kurusu?”

“Akira.” he corrected, radiating friendliness as he brandished a smile at Goro through the crack in the door, “It wasn’t easy, but I managed to convince Sae-san to tell me where you were staying. Can I come in?” Akira gestured inside at the gloomy excuse of an apartment, likely a stark contrast to the positivity he emanated.

“Why are you here?” Goro repeated.

“I went to visit you again today, and they said you’d been discharged. You did say I could visit you again, right?” Akira grinned, “So here I am.”

“You’re insufferable.” Goro sighed, “Go home, Akira.” He began to close the door when it suddenly stopped fast in it’s tracks. He looked down to see Akira’s foot jamming it from locking back into the frame.

“Hold on. Don’t push me away.” Akira’s expression had shifted dramatically, and he now looked much more sternly at Goro, “Just let me talk to you, please.” A muffled cry could be heard as the bag Akira held on his shoulder shifted violently.

“Wh-t’s g-ing onm?! Wh-t’s ‘e s-ng?!”

Akira chuckled, “Ah, oh yeah, I brought Morgana, too.” his smile returned as he looked pleadingly back at Goro.

Goro glared at Akira before averting his eyes, “...Move your foot.”

Akira complied, and Goro unlatched the chain. When he opened the door, the amount of sunlight that poured in behind Akira was likely more than Goro had seen at all in the past few days. He kept his eyes pointed elsewhere in an attempt to shield them from the sun’s burning rays, as well as the figure that walked in alongside them.

“Thank you.” The words flowed like honey past Akira’s lips, laced not only with relief but sincerity. As he stepped through the doorway, he shouldered his bag off and placed it on the floor. Nearly as soon as it was unzipped, Morgana’s head came rocketing out, gasping for air.

“Was it really necessary to keep me in the bag the whole time?! You could’ve let me come out as soon as we left the detention center!” He hopped out of the bag and shook his body from head to tail in an attempt to realign his ruffled fur.

“Oh, yeah, I guess you’re right. Sorry about that.”

“Wow, it really is you!” Morgana tread over towards Goro and jumped onto the counter with little hesitation, “It was hard to believe that you could really still be alive before I saw it with my own eyes.”

Goro sighed, “Hello, Morgana.” He leaned back against the wall, resigned to the fact that the two had invaded his private sanctuary for the time being.

“Uh… nice place you’ve got here.” Akira’s sarcasm was palpable as he scanned the walls of the dreary apartment, “Thought about maybe giving it a new paint job?”

“I can’t, it’s government owned.” Goro replied matter-of-factly, “I’m not meant to stay here for long, anyway. It’s a temporary lodging arranged for me until I can find a place independently.”

“Ah.” Akira turned back towards Goro, “Any luck with that?”

“It’s only been three days since I was discharged.”

“So that’s a no, then?” Akira’s wry smile and smug aura returned with full force. Goro, however, remained unamused.

“If you’ve come merely to berate me, than I’d rather you left.”

“Oh, no - I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that, really. Sorry.” Akira rubbed the back of his neck bashfully; another old quirk that he’d retained from his high school days. Initially, Goro had been unsure if it was truly Akira when he first saw him. Though as soon as he toyed with his bangs in the same fashion that he had in the past, he knew it could be none other.

“Akira is always making wisecrack comments like that. Try to just ignore it, Akechi.”

Goro scoffed, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Hey, what?!” Akira’s offense was mostly in jest, but there was a slight earnestness in his tone as well, “Way to make me look bad, Mona.”

“You don’t need my help for that.”

Goro fought to suppress the chuckle that bubbled out of him in response to Morgana’s quick wit. As suddenly as it had overcome him, however, he forced it away.

“Oh, great. The first time I’ve seen you smile in three years, and it’s at my expense.” Akira shook his head in faux exasperation, his voice reflecting the smile he wore on his face.

“Ha ha! Akechi likes me better!” Morgana teased in response, and Akira directed another vaguely rude comment towards Morgana. The two continued their back and forth, which quickly began to fade into background noise. Goro’s vision blurred, his breath shaking. He felt his legs threaten to give out as his mind raced with the sudden realization of the situation he was in.

Akira and Morgana were both here, in front of him, in his _apartment_ . Two of the people who had seen the worst side of him, who had been victims to his deceit and treachery - they were in his apartment, and they were making _jokes_. Goro’s ears felt as though they were filled with cotton as the pair’s mild jabs at each other grew more and more fuzzy. This was wrong. This shouldn’t be happening. He could feel the bile in his stomach writhing as it tried to lurch back up his throat.

“You two should leave now.”

Akira and Morgana both paused, smiles fading, and turned to face Goro, “You want us to leave?” Akira questioned.

“Yes. You shouldn’t be here.”

“But, Akechi-”

“Do you have a phone?” Akira cut Morgana off with little hesitation, the latter of whom didn’t protest.

“What?”

“At least let me give you my number.” Akira reached into his back pocket to pull out his phone, finger already pressed to the scanner on it’s back.

“I- Wh-” Goro stammered, “No, I- I don’t have a phone. Please, just- just go.” He opened the door with force enough to nearly rip it off of it’s rusty hinges.

“I’m gonna come back and visit again, okay? Don’t think you’re getting rid of me.” Goro ushered Akira out of the apartment with Morgana following suit.

“Goodbye, Akira.”

As soon as his guests had cleared the doorway, Goro shut and locked the door as if his life depended on it. He made an attempt to steady his breathing as he turned around, back pressed up against the wall. He shuddered, and slowly, Goro sunk to the floor, bringing his knees close to his chest. His hands burned where his skin had made contact with Akira’s back. Struggling to choke back sobs, the pace of his breathing quickened. He shut his eyes tightly in a vain attempt at warding off the intrusive memories that were rising to the surface in his mind.

He could smell the gunpowder mixed with the acrid scent of blood, taste the metallic tang in the back of his throat, hear the ringing in his ears as his vision went white. He could feel the hot, stuffy air of the interrogation room closing in around him, his legs turning to jelly, his mind overcome with static. He could feel beads of sweat rolling down his temples, and he could feel the hard grip of his clammy palms. Goro’s breathing rapidly picked up nearly to the point of hyperventilation, tears now freely streaming down his face.

Goro sat huddled in the corner of his derelict, sad excuse of a home, and sobbed.

 

*********

 

“Akechi-kun. Akechi-kun.” Sae repeated, trying to get his attention with little success, “Akechi-kun!”

Goro snapped back to the present with a jump, “Oh! I-I’m sorry! I was lost in thought for a moment.” He turned his attention back to Sae, who looked at him with concern.

“Are you feeling alright? If you’d like to do this at a later date, it’s no trouble.”

“No, I’m fine.” Goro’s mouth felt bitter as the lie passed his lips, “It’s been a rough few nights, the mattress I’ve been provided isn’t too comfortable, I’m afraid.” He said, smiling with little sincerity.

“Well, if you’re sure.” Sae handed a sizable packet to Goro, who took it with slight trepidation.

“This is…?”

“More formality, really. I’ve filled out most of it, I really just need you to sign it in a few places.”

“Ah.” Goro lightly took the pen Sae handed to him, and scanned the document for any blank areas requiring his signature. It wasn’t until he had reached the third or fourth page that he felt the eyes boring into him.

“I’m worried about you, Akechi-kun.”

Goro looked up from the papers, “Why is that?”

Sae shifted uncomfortably, seemingly unsure as to whether or not she should explain her reasoning, “Akira-kun went to visit you, didn’t he?”

A cold shiver ran down Goro’s spine. His blood curdled at the sound of Akira’s name, “Ah, uh, yes. He did pay me a short visit a couple days ago.” He made an attempt to distract from the topic by returning his attention to the documents, which now seemed more like a foreign language with how little he was able to concentrate.

Sae sighed, “I’m sorry for going behind your back to contact him about you. I just thought-” she paused, “I… I’m not sure what I thought. Maybe that seeing him again would be good for you. You mentioned him so often, and I’m really not sure what to do-”

“You thought that me talking about how much he must hate me meant I wanted to see him again?”

Sae looked taken aback with the way Goro had suddenly snapped at her, “Well, I thought that maybe if you heard that it wasn’t true from him directly, that it might help you.”

“I’m sorry Sae-san, but I’m afraid it’s done little more than reopen old wounds.” Goro handed the packet back to her, refusing to make eye contact.

“I see.” She took the packet from his hands, and paused before continuing, “I’m sorry, Akechi-kun, but I’m not sure I believe you.”

“I’m sorry?” He looked at Sae in disbelief, her stern expression not matching the concern in her voice.

“I could tell from the moment you approached me today, something about you is different. It took me a bit to understand what it was, but I think I’ve figured it out just now.” She placed a hand to her chin and nodded, “Your expression, the way you’re talking now… it reminds me of when we used to work together as detectives.”

Goro was completely bewildered by her statement, “How so?”

“It’s plastic.” She looked at him once again, “Fake, performative, however you want to phrase it. It’s like you’re pretending to be alright. You’ve smiled more in the past 30 minutes than I’ve seen you smile in the past 6 months.”

Goro averted his eyes, “Perhaps I’m just happy to be out of prison.” He replied meekly.

Sae scoffed, “After how many times I’ve heard you talk about how indifferent you felt towards your release, you really expect me to believe that?” She shook her head, “I think you’re hiding something.”

“Sae-san, what could I possibly have left to hide from you?”

She shrugged, “Maybe it’s not me you’re trying to hide it from.” With that cryptic suggestion, Sae took her coat by the collar and stood from the booth they sat at, “Come on, I have boxes of your old clothes in my car for you.”

As she began to walk away, Goro quietly shuffled out of the booth himself and followed behind. He hung his head and he pondered as to what Sae could have possibly meant in her words. That he was pretending to be okay, that he was acting fake, that he was hiding something. There wasn’t anyone left to hide from; nobody left but himself.

Goro nearly stopped in his tracks.

Of course… the person she had meant was himself.

The pair soon reached the curbside at which Sae has parked, but rather than assisting her in retrieving the heavy boxes, Goro merely watched with eyes glazed over in thought.

“Akechi-kun?”

Goro looked at the box in Sae’s hands, he looked at the ground, and he looked at the balled up fist at his side.

“Sae-san, you, um-” He returned Sae’s gaze with his own, “You… wouldn’t happen to have Akira’s phone number, would you?”

 

*********

 

Goro’s finger hovered over the send button on his phone as he re-read his message for the millionth time. He’d never admit to his overwhelming desire to see Akira again, but he couldn’t deny the fact that he’d run out of excuses for not contacting him. It was clear that Akira held no contempt toward him; if anything, it was the exact opposite. Akira had gone out of his way to see him more than once now, to think he could harbor any ill will towards Goro would be delusional.

His eyes darted over the words, searching for anything he might change before sending it.

> _‘Hello, this is Goro Akechi. I apologize for messaging you unprompted, but since you asked Sae for my address, I suppose we’re even now, yes? I’d also like to apologize for forcing you out of my apartment the other day, it was rude of me, and I would like to make up for it. If you’re free this week, perhaps we might meet up for lunch?’_

Goro took a deep breath, and with the permanence of the send button still weighing on him, forced himself to tap it. He exhaled and quickly turned his phone’s screen off so as to try and ignore the anxiety that plagued him. However, he barely got a chance to relax before his text tone blared and his phone lit back up. Goro clambored for the phone and eagerly opened the messenger app once again.

> _‘i thought you didn’t have a phone ;-P’_

Goro rolled his eyes, but couldn’t suppress the smile that crept across his lips.

> _‘I suppose I should apologize for lying about not having a phone too, then.’_

He stared at the three dots that signified Akira’s impending reply.

> _‘lol its cool, i understand. sorry if i was pushy or made you uncomfortable._

Goro started to type a reply, but quickly was ambushed by a second message.

> _‘i just really dont wanna lose you again’_

He felt his breath catch and a lump form in his throat. Suddenly this arrangement seemed like a bad idea. His thumbs hovered over the digital keyboard on his phone, mind completely void of anything he could possibly say in response. Luckily, Akira broke the tension for him with a third message.

> _‘i’m free tomorrow. wanna meet up at leblanc? the shop is closed tomorrow so it’ll be just us.’_

Goro’s eyes darted across the screen before he hastily typed his response.

> _‘Sure. I’ll meet you there around noon.’_
> 
> _‘can’t wait :-)’_

Goro flopped back onto his bed, and covered his face with the back of his hand, as if it would do anything to aid the warmth in his cheeks. Despite the exhaustion he felt after having worked up the nerve to start the conversation, the anxiety it had roused in him did little to help him fall asleep. His heart beat a mile a minute, but as his mind raced with the different ways tomorrow could play out, he eventually drifted into a deep slumber.

 

*********

 

It was 11:34 when Goro finally woke, and upon checking the time, any thought of returning to sleep escaped him. It was perhaps a blessing in disguise, however; as the rush to get ready granted him no time to dwell on the fact that he was anxious beyond comprehension. It was a miracle that he’d arrived at the cafe a mere 10 minutes late, and hoped to himself that it didn’t show in his appearance, despite having picked out what to wear the night before. His habit of being over prepared had come to fruition.

Goro meekly approached the cafe, ignoring the closed sign perfectly framed by one of the door’s many segmented windows. It hardly looked any different than it had three years ago; the only notable difference being that the lights inside were off, and when Goro jiggled the handle in an attempt to enter, he found the rickety door to be locked. He furrowed his brow, and as soon as he had pulled his phone from his pocket to text Akira, the man himself came running up to the cafe’s entrance from Goro’s left.

“I’m- I’m so- So sorry!” Akira managed to get out in between pants.

Goro’s heart pounded in his chest, “And here I was worried about being late.”

“Hey, you didn’t exactly give me a lot of warning.” Akira sighed as he steadied his breath, and pulled out his keys, one of which presumably would open the door to Leblanc.

“If my memory serves correct, it was you who suggested we arrange for today, was it not?”

“Well yeah, I wasn’t gonna pass up the opportunity to meet up. Especially when it was your idea this time.”

That feeling again. Akira seemed to have a knack for catching him completely off guard with how forward he was. Goro felt himself on autopilot as he glided through the door that Akira held open for him. Nerves wracked his entire body, and as he observed the familiar surroundings of the dingy cafe, he became acutely aware of Akira’s position in the room.

“Coffee?” The sound of Akira’s voice broke his trance, “Don’t tell me how you like it. I think I remember, I wanna see if I get it right.”

“Ah, uh- yes. That would be nice. Thank you.” Goro removed his jacket and laid it over the back of a chair at the bar before seating himself. Settling into the chair, he laid his arms across the countertop in a fashion similar to how he did in the past. He ran his ungloved hands over the grooves in the wood, and the strong, nostalgic scent of Leblanc coffee invaded his senses.

“This brings back memories.” The words escaped before Goro could process what he was even saying, and he was filled with an almost immediate pang of regret at having let his guard down even slightly.

“Good memories, I hope?” Akira chimed.

“Some good.” Goro tried to sound as normal as possible so as not to let the melancholy that plagued him slip through his voice. He looked up as soon as Akira placed his cup of coffee down in front of him.

“It’s a little presumptuous to add the cream and sugar for me, don’t you think?”

Akira chuckled, but not without rubbing the back of his neck bashfully, “I told you, I think I remember how you like it. If I was wrong, I’ll remake it.”

“I can’t recall ever having you add my cream and sugar for me.” Goro replied with suspicion.

Akira glanced to the side, suddenly eager to avoid meeting Goro’s eyes, “Uh, I dunno, I guess I just remember watching you add it yourself?”

“Hmm.” Goro hummed in response as he took a sip from the cup. His eyes brightened as the coffee hit his tongue and he felt it’s familiar warmth flow down his throat, “It’s perfect.” he said, placing the cup back on it’s saucer, “Just as I remember it.”

“Yes!” Akira quietly cheered to himself as he too settled into his position leaning on the bar counter, “See? Told you I remembered.”

“I was wrong to doubt you, it seems.” Goro smirked with a half-smile, which in return was met with a smile of Akira’s own.

“Thanks for asking me to hang out today.”

Goro was once again taken aback by Akira’s bluntness, “Uh, well, like I said-” he cleared his throat, “It was rude of me to kick you out the other day. It’s the least I could do to make up for my rudeness.”

“Mm, I guess so.” Akira shone with sincerity, “Still though, I really appreciate it.”

“It’s no trouble.” Goro fiddled with the handle of his cup before taking another sip. He could feel Akira’s gaze on him, and refused to glance in his direction until he sensed the feeling dissipate.

“Hey, do you remember the time I tried to teach you how to twirl a pen?” Goro looked up to see Akira looking in the direction of the booth they had sat in three years ago.

“Hmm.” Goro put his hand to his chin in faux perplexion, “I seem to recall something of the sort.”

“Been practicing?” Akira asked, glance returning to Goro.

“I can’t say that I have.”

“Then I guess it’s time for lesson two!” Akira bent down to grab a pencil from somewhere underneath the counter beyond Goro’s line of sight.

“Are you serious?” he inquired.

Akira smiled, “Give me your hand.” He laid his own out on the countertop. Goro sighed, and rolling his eyes, he relinquished his hand to Akira’s, who beamed with child-like excitement.

“Okay, so hold it like this.” Akira placed the pencil between Goro’s fingers and lightly pressed them into a firmer hold, “Then you’ll wanna push it forward like this - I’m gonna do it really slow, but obviously you’ll have to be pretty fast to actually do it. Anyways, push it forward like this with your thumb.“Akira guided Goro’s fingers through the motions, “And then do the same thing with your ring finger, but in the opposite direction, so it goes around your fingers like this.” Goro’s mind turned to static as he watched his hand be manipulated in the same way it had been all those years ago. The feeling that overcame him, had he been focused enough to consider it, was likely the same as well.

“So when you do it all at once, it should look like this.” Akira twirled the pencil with flawless grace, perhaps even more skillfully than he had in the past, “Got it?”

“Um, yes, I think so.”

Akira smiled, “Then you try it.”

Goro took the pencil lightly and placed it in his hand the way Akira had showed him. He bit his lip in concentration, and made an attempt to spin the pencil around his fingers. However, it seemed his technique hadn’t improved, as he watched the pencil fly across the counter and into the shelf opposite him.

Akira immediately started howling with laughter. The sudden cacophony made Goro jump, and he looked up to see Akira nearly buckled over in his fit. He was slamming his fist on the countertop, and looked down in an attempt to hide his face. Goro sat stunned at his sudden uproar, but soon, he too began to giggle alongside Akira. Then he started to chuckle. Before long the pair were both laughing hysterically, faces red and tears in their eyes. They laughed and laughed until their stomachs ached, and they were gasping for breath.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh.” Akira giggled, wiping the tears from his face, “That was just way too good.”

“I suppose I haven’t gotten any better with age.” Goro chuckled in response.

“No, I guess not.” Akira leaned back onto the counter, “But there’s plenty of time to improve. Feel free to come back for more lessons.”

With the ice sufficiently broken, the two began talking more in depth about themselves, and all that had transpired in the time since they had last been able to see one another. It was mostly Akira talking, however, as Goro had little to add to the conversation, having been in the same place all this time.

He learned that Akira had gone back to Shujin for his third year in high school, and hadn’t been back to his hometown since. Despite graduating with grades good enough to get him into college, he hadn’t gone, and was working at a library full-time.

“I’m surprised, what kept you from going to college?” Goro finished off the last of his cup of coffee, and Akira reached to take it from him.

“I’m not really sure how to explain it.” He siphoned more coffee into Goro’s cup, and passed the cream and sugar to Goro, so that he may add it himself this time. “I guess… it felt wrong to be able to move forward with my life. I was still really hung up over what happened with you. In some weird way it felt like I had taken the opportunity from you.” Akira shook his head, “I know it doesn’t make any sense, but… y’know. Grief is a weird thing, it can make you do stuff or think stuff you wouldn’t normally.”

Goro was stunned, “You mean to say, you didn’t go to college because of me?”

Akira nodded, “Yeah, I guess you could put it that way. It was more because I thought it was something you’d never be able to do, so it felt… like some kind of weird betrayal.” Akira picked at the wood of the countertop, “Though honestly, I’ve never really liked school very much, so I don’t think I would’ve gone either way.”

Goro sighed, “I suppose that makes me feel a bit better.”

“What? Don’t feel guilty over it or anything! It’s not like it’s your fault, honestly.” Akira insisted, “Plus, I like working at the library. It’s really calm and relaxing, and my coworkers there are really cool people. I wouldn’t be able to do it full time if I were in school.”

Goro perked up slightly, “It really pays well enough for you to be able to live on your own?”

“Yup.” Akira grinned, “Granted, my apartment isn’t very big, but I don’t need much space, so it’s perfect for me.”

“I should start thinking of employment options soon myself.” Goro sighed, “I can’t stay at my current lodging forever, after all.”

Akira looked shocked, “Wait, are you still living there?”

“It’s only been a few days, Akira.” Goro mused.

“I mean yeah, but…” he replied, totally bewildered, “That place is a total shithole.”

Goro chuckled, “Trust me, I’m quite aware of that.”

Akira looked contemplative as he thought to himself for a moment, tapping his index finger on the hard countertop he leaned on.

“It’s fine, don’t worry. Sae has been aiding me thus far, and if I’m unable to find some place myself, I’m sure she-”

“Would you be cool with having a roommate?” Akira interrupted.

Goro blinked, “What? I mean- I guess? But-”

“Cool, you should move in with me then.”

Goro nearly choked on his own saliva, “I-I’m sorry?!”

“It doesn’t have to be permanent or anything. Living in that place just isn’t going to help motivate you to get out there and find a job. It’d be hard for me to even get out of bed living in a place as depressing as that.”

He wasn’t wrong, Goro thought to himself. His tardiness this afternoon was a testament to that. However, the sudden nature of his proposal left Goro at a loss for words.

“I- um-” he stammered, “Weren’t you just talking about how small your apartment is?”

“I also mentioned that I don’t need all that much space.” Akira paused before laughing nervously, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to freak you out or anything. Just, uh, think about it, okay?”

“Uh, y-yes.” Goro replied, “I… I’ll think about it.”

The pair continued their conversation despite the awkward lull, and after an additional two cups of coffee, Goro decided to depart for home.

“You’re really more than welcome to stay.” Akira intimated.

“I appreciate it, but I would hate to overstay my welcome. I have some errands I’d like to run before night falls, as well.”

“You definitely don’t have to worry about overstaying your welcome.” Akira crossed his arms, “But I’ll let you go. I don’t wanna keep you. I would walk you back, but I should probably clean up here so Boss doesn’t chew me out.”

Goro nodded as he stood, “Until next time then, Akira.”

Akira waved at Goro as he retreated through the door, “Later.”

Goro stepped out into the cool evening air of the Yongen-Jaya alleyways. The breeze lightly tousled his hair, and for the first time in ages, he walked with a genuine spring in his step.

 

*********

 


End file.
